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March 11, 1930. c. F. GLASS 1,750,100

FINGERPRINT MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Oct. 23. 920 4Sheets-Sheet 1 n5 /sl E g 4 m 5 65 0% 69 I Ll R49.

- mvz TOR ATTORNEY March 11, 1930. c. F. GLASS FINGERPRINT MACHINE ANDMETHOD Original Filed Oct. 25. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I j NVENTbR BY A47?ATTORNEY March 11, 1930. c. F. GLASS 1,750,100

FINGERPRINT MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Oct. 23. 1920 4Sheets-Sheet 3 4m W INVENTOR A QWTORNEY March' 11, 1930. c. F. GLASSFINGERPRINT MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Oct. 23. 1920 4Sheets-Sheet 4 A a (ATTORNEY of Fig. 4'

Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES I. GLASS, orBROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ,SSIG-NOR 'ro IEINGERPRINT MACHINE CORPORATION, aCORPORATIQN or NEW YORK FINGERPRINT MACHINE AND METHOD Applicationfiled. October 23, 1920, Serial No. 418,867.

This invention relates to machines whereby finger print records may bereadily and ac curately obtained.

The object of the present invention is to provide improvements upon themachine as set forth in my application for patent Serial Number 320,593,filed August 29th, 1919, as will be set forth in the followingspecification in connection with the accompanying drawings andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which 11- lustrate the invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine with the casing sectioned anda portion removed to show the interior;

Fig. 4: is a front elevation of the interior of the machine, the casingbeing sectioned and the front portion removed and also a portion of theapparatus being shown in sec- 'tion Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55of Fig. 3, on a reduced scale;

Fig. 6 is a showing on an enlarged scale and in perspective of theholding means for the check or other paper upon which the finger printis to be recorded;

Fig. 7 is a section of a fragment showing the arrangement for supplyingthe finger or fingers of which a print is to be taken with additionalcoating if this is thought necessary;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the means forproperly locating the fingers to be printed with reference to the paperon which the record is to be made;

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the electric connections of the heating andlighting means;

Fig. 10 is a partial section on the line 1010 Fig. 11 is a section onthe line 1111 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a paper Renewed March- 24, 1924.

holder and finger guide for taking a finger imprint as will behereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 to 12 inclusive, theapparatus comprises a base plate 1 upon which is mounted the casing 2.

The device for holding the check or other paper upon which the lingerprint is to be recorded comprises a shaft 3 rotatably mounted inbrackets 4; and 5 which are mounted upon the base plate. Fixed to theshaft 3 are two arms 6 and 7 having at their upper ends the pairs ofjaws 8 and 9. Between the jaws is a U-shaped frame 10 secured at itssides to the lower ones of the pairs of jaws 8 and 9. Fixed to each ofthe upper jaws is a spring 11 which bears against a leg of the U-shapedpiece 10 so that when the check 12 is inserted edgewise between thepairs of jaws as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the springs grip thecheck against the legs of the U- shaped piece, so that as the shaft 3 isrotated by the handle 13 fixed thereon the jaws will move and carry thecheck or other piece of paper in the arc of a circle. The path of thecheck will be obvious from considering the drawings especially Fig. 3from which will be apparent the arc in which the check will be moved anda slot 14 is provided in the easing so that if the paper is long enoughit may project out to one side so that the capacity of the device, asregards the size of paper which it may receive is not limited.

l Vith the paper held in the pairs of jaws 8 and 9 and the jaws in theposition as best indicated in Fig. 3, the finger, or fingers, to beprinted is pressed upon the paper between the pairs of jaws and betweenthe legs of the U-shaped piece 10. To ensure proper application of thefingers a device as shown most clearly in Fig. 8 is employed. Thisconsists of a frame 25 having an opening 26 through which the fingersmay be applied to the check and a plate 27 upon which the fingers mayrest. This frame is inserted between the pairs of jaws 8 and 9 so thatthe opening 26 is in registry with the opening between the legs of theU-shaped piece 10. The frame 25 is pivotally supported upon the arms 28and 29 which are secured to the casing and the frame 25 is pressedupwardly by means of a spring 30, the upward movement of the frame beinglimited by the projection 31 coming against a stop pin 32 upon the frame29. Normally therefore the frame 25 is yieldingly held in a slightlyelevated position. To effect an imprint upon the paper, the fingers arelaid upon the plate or bar 27 and then depressed into contact with thepaper. If the fingers were pressed directly upon the paper without theuse of any finger guiding or holding means they might have a slidingmovement, that is a movement slightly along the surface of the paper.This might result in a blurred impression with a correspondinglyimperfect record. With a finger guiding device as just described,however, the fingers having been laid upon the member 27, when thatmember is depressed to permit the fingers to engage the paper and thenrises as the fingers are withdrawn, the frictional contact of thefingers with the plate 27 prevents the sliding of the fingers withrelation to the paper and so avoids the objection referred to.

The device operates in a manner similar to that of my prior applicationabove referred to, that is to say the finger to be printed is firstimpressed upon the paper, the pigment is then applied to the printedsurface, then any surplus pigment which may exist is removed and thatpigment remaining which outlines the print is fixed by heat.

The paper having been impressed by the finger or fingers as described itpasses on to the point where the pigment is supplied to it. To supplythe pigment to the paper a hopper 15 is provided which is accessible bymeans of a lid 16 in the casing. The pigment is supplied in the form ofa powder which may consist in asphaltum 6 parts by volume, wheat flour 4parts byvolume, talc powder part by volume and silicon part by volume.The feed from the hopper is controlled by a rotary and measuring device17 which divides the chamber 18 at the base of the hopper into fourcompartments as shown, the top part receiving a supply from the hopperand after being turned through 180 discharges its contents through theopening 19. Secured to the device 17 and rotating therewith is a squaremember 20 with the faces of which the spring 21, (which is mounted inthe casing), successively engages as the device is turned. The turningof the device is accomplished by the engagement of the stud 22projecting from the side of the upper jaw of the pair 9 which, as thearms 6 and 7 are moved to pass the check beneath the hopper, engageswith one of the projections which is at each of the four corners of thedevice 20, say the projection 22, and turns the member 20 and itsconnected member 17 until another of the projections, say 23, is passedinto contact with the curve 24 on the spring when the spring will forcethe device 20 into the position where it lies flat against one of thesurfaces of the square, and one of the chambers of the member 17 filledwith the pigment compound will be brought into registry with the opening19 and discharged upon the surface of the check below.

It will be understood that the member 20 is so fixed with relation tothe member 17 that when the spring 21 is in engagement with the flatside as shown in Fig. 3, the part 17 will be in the position as shown inFig. 11, so that the device 17 in its position of rest will have onecompartment in position to receive powder from the hopper 15 whileanother is adapted to deliver its contents through the opening 19 uponthe check or other paper beneath. The action of the spring 21 completesthe movement of the member 17 initiated by the stud 22'. On the return,the projection lying in the path of the stud gives slightly to permitthe passage of the stud without moving the member 17 to effect dischargeof any powder.

By reference to Fig. 11 it will be seen that on the return movement ofthe stud it tends to turn the member 17 in the reverse direction so thatits tendency to turn that memher is only in such direction as wouldbring an empty compartment opposite the discharge opening 19 if themovement were carried far enough, which it is not.

The check having been impressed with the finger and pigment appliedthereto as described, continues its movement from beneath the dischargeopening 19 for the pigment compound moving always in the arc of a circleas will be apparent and assumingmore and more of a. vertical position sothat surplus pigment not adhering to the impressed finger lines willmore and more tend to slide off and this is facilitated by agitating thepaper by means of a spring dog 33 mounted upon the check support, whichimparts a vibratory motion to the check support as it undulateslaterally in its passage over the rounded teeth of the rack 34 fixed onthe casing.

Continuing its movement, the check assumes a substantially verticalposition in front of the electric heater 35 which may consist in theusual resistances, heated by current passing through them and arrangedin a suitable casing 36 which is pivotally mounted at 37 upon an upright38 secured to the base 1, and the frame 36 is normally maintained in avertical position as shown by means of a spring 39. Secured to the topof the frame 36 is an inclined plate or shield 40 which receives all ofthe pigment powder which slides off the paper prior to the front edge ofthe paper passing beyond the front face of the heater. Accordingly theshield 40 is shown as extending at least to the front face of the heaterwhen it is in its vertical position. There is thus effectual protectionagainst any of the powder lodging upon the heater. In this normalposition of the heater, however, it is not inthe most efficientrelationship to the paper to fix the print. It will be seen that theupper end of the heater is quite close to the check while the lower endis quite far from it. It is accordingly desirable that the lower end ofthe heater should be advanced toward the check so that the front face ofthe heater as a whole will be closer to the paper and will be approximately parallel thereto. This necessitates a turning of the heater onits pivot 37 so that its lower end is thrown forward. This isaccomplished by having the stud 41 near the end of the movement of thecheck, come against an arm 42 fixed to the heater frame 36 so that thelatter is turned on its pivot 37 against the tension of the spring 39into a position with relation to the check as above indicated namely,having its forward face closer thereto as a whole, and substantiallyparallel thereto. By the time the lower end of the heater is thus thrustforward the edge of the check has passed beyond it so that none of thepowder which may fall from the check can fall upon the heater.

It is inconvenient to construct the machine so that the heater willpermanently occupy its operating position as indicated withoutcomplicating the structure because, under such circumstances, in orderfor the shield to extend to a point in a vertical line with the, bottomof the heater to prevent powder from falling on the latter, it would benecessary to thrust the shield 40 so far forward that it would be likelyto interfere with the movement of the check. In moving into its finalposition wherein the check is before the heater as just described, thecontact 43 upon the arm 6 moves in between and connects the contactclips 44 and 45 which are mounted upon the base 1. This, it will be seenfrom the diagram of Fig. 9, connects the heater 35 in series with a lamp46 across the mains 47 and 48 of a suitable electric circuit.

The lamp 46 mounted in a compartment 49 at the front of the casing,throws its light through the window, which may be closed by a glass pane50 onto the front of the paper as it stands in front of the heater, andthis may be observed through the opening (closed by a pane of glass 51)in the hinged door 52 in the front of the casing.

Sliding on the base 1 are two drawers 53 and 54 movable by means of thehandles 5! and 56. These drawers catch the powc er which falls from thepaper and also any which falls on the shield 40 is deflected into them.

In order to thoroughly clean the paper of all particles of powder exceptthose which adhere to the finger print lines, a puff of air isblownacross the paper after it has reached or approximately reached itsposition in front of the hopper. This air is blown across the surface ofthe paper through holes 57 in a pipe 58 which is connected with theupper portion of a cylinder 59 within which reciprocates the piston 60.The apparatus for operating the piston is as follows: i

The lower end of the piston rod 61 has pivoted to it the link 62 whichis also pivoted to the link which at its other end is pivoted to thecollar 64 loosely mounted on the shaft 3. Fixed upon the shaft 3 is asimilar collar 65, the collars 64 and 65 comprising cooperating ratchetteeth as shown in F ig. 4. The collar 64 is pressed into engagement withthe collar 65 by a spring 66 so that as the handle 1.3 is operated tomove the paper from the finger impress to the pigment fixing position,the collar 64 will turn with the collar 65 and thereby draw the pistondownwardly against the tension of the spring 67 until the pin 68 uponthe collar 64 is carried to the right (see Fig. by coming against thecam 69. This movement of the collar 64, by reason of the cam and pin,causes the ratchet teeth to disengage when the spring 67 willimmediately throw the piston to its uppermost position, thereby forcingthe air, which was drawn'into the cylinder on the down stroke of thepiston, out through the pipe 58 and holes 57 so that a puff of air isblown across the surface of the paper as before referred to.

Ordinarily the secretions upon the skin of the fingers is sufficient totreat the paper when the fingers are impressed thereon so that it isonly necessary in making a record to press the finger in its naturalcondition upon the paper. Under some circumstances, however, it may bedesirable to apply additional matter to the fingers so as to ensureproper action upon the paper. To this end a roll of treated paper 70 isrotatably mounted in a suitable holder 71 secured to the door 72 of acompartment 7 3 which is located on the casing just below the impressionposition for the paper. This paper may be drawn outwardly through a slot74 in the door 72 over a shelf 7 5 and beneath a spring 76 which willhold it in position and prevent the end from getting lost by beingwithdrawn inside the compartment. The paper may be mildly treated withoil so as not to be in any way smudgy but just l'iaving sufficient oilto impart a slight film to the fingers when pressed upon it.

In making use of this auxiliary means the finger is pressedupon theoiled paper lying upon the shelf prior to applying the finger to thepaper upon which an impression is to be recorded. For sanitary reasons,each user may tear off the area of paper previously used and draw out afresh area to use himself.

It will be seen that by opening the door 72 on its hinges 77 the rollholder will be moved outwardly with the door so that the roll is readilyaccessible for inspection or adjustment, and also rolls may be readilytaken out or new ones inserted.

The paper carrier is normally held in the position as indicated in Fig.3 by a spring 78.

It will now be seen that in the operation of the machine the check orother paper to be imprinted is inserted within the jaws 8 and 9 of thepaper carrier and is held therein by the springs at 11. The finger to beimprinted is then pressed upon the paper between the aws, there being nosupport under the paper directly beneath the imprint so that the papermay adjust itself to the finger. The handle 13 is then pulled toward thefront as far as it will go and upon being released will return to theposition as shown in Fig. 3 when the check may be withdrawn from theholder with the finger print recorded upon it. During the movement fromthe position as shown in Fig. 3, the check passes under the pigmentpowder feeding means which is operated by the moving check support, asbefore described, to deposit a certain quantity of pigment powder uponthe check. In this position the check is not substantially out ofhorizontal. As the movement then progresses the paper passes through thearc of a circle and makesagreater and greater angle with the horizontal,so that the particles not adhering to the finger lines are likely toslide off and'this action is promoted by vibration of the holder as thecheck approaches the heater in a substantially vertical position. Thecheck then moves on to a position in front of the heater and in order toadjust the heater to the best position with relation to the check, theholder near the end of its movement engages the pivotally mounted heaterand swings it into the proper position with relation to the check as hasbeen already described.

Also nearing the end of the movement of the paper, the circuit for theheater is established so that when the paper has reached its finalposition the heater causes the pigment powder to become softened andsink into the structure of the paper. Also the lamp 56 is lighted sothat the condition of the check in front of the heater may be observed.

Just before the check is subjected to the action of the heater toincorporate the pigment with the body of the paper as described, thepufi of air, as before referred to, is blown across the surface of thepaper so as to remove all surplus particles of the pigment powder. Thecheck or other paper need remain in front of the heater but a fewseeonds and this will be a matter of almost involuntary action on thepart of the operator in working the machine, but where desirable theoperation taking place upon the paper by the heater can be observedthrough the window 51. The pigment having been fused and incorporated inthe paper as described,

the handle 13 may be released when the holder and paper will be turnedto the position as shown in Fig. 3, when the paper may be removed withthe finger print record fixed upon it.

The effects of pressing a finger upon a piece of paper whereby a pigmentpowder will be caused to adhere to the impressed lines of the finger,will endure for a considerable time so that if it is desired to take afinger print record where the machine is not present, this can be doneby taking the impression at a suitable location on the paper so that itmay later be inserted in a machine as described and the impressionfixed.

In order that, under such circumstances, the finger impression may bemade at the proper point, a device shown in Fig. 13 may be employedwhich consists of a wooden or other suitable block 79 on which issecured a frame consisting of the back 80, sides 81 and S2, and a frontbar 83. The paper may be inserted beneath this frame upon the top of theblock 7 9. The block bears a known relation to the jaws of the paperholder so that the relation of the check to the paper holder of themachine may be gaged by its relation to the block, and having beenappropriately placed thereon a finger laid upon the bar 83 may beimpressed upon the paper which lies in the opening between the sides 81and 82, this frame fixing the appropriate position of the impressionupon the check. lVhere the device is to be used for checks only, theblock 79 may be made to correspond to one end of the check, and when thecheck end is placed in proper relation thereon, the finger printeffective as described will be properly located when the check is placedin the machine.

While the invention has been illustrated in what are considered its bestapplications, it may have other embodiments without departing from itsspirit and is not, therefore, limited to the structures shown in thedrawings.

VJ hat I claim is:

1. In a finger print machine, the combina tion with means for supplyingpigment, of means for fixing said pigment and means for passing a fingerimpressed sheet from said pigment supplying means to said fixing means.said sheet making a greater angle with the horizontal when in the fixingposition than when in the pigment receiving position.

2. In a finger print machine, the combination with means for supplyingpigment, of means for fixing said pigment and means for passing a fingerimpressed sheet from said pigment supplying means to said fixing means,said sheet moving in the are of a circle in passing from one of saidpositions to the other.

3. In a finger print machine, the combina tion with means for supplyingpigment, of

I to

means for heating said pigment and means .for passing a finger impressedsheet from said pigment supplying means to said heating means, saidsheet making a greater angle with the horizontal when in the heatingposition than when in the pigment receiving position.

'4. In a finger print machine, the combination with means for supplyingpigment, of means for heating said pigment and means for passing afinger impressed sheet from said pigment supplying means to saidheatingmeans, said sheet moving in the arc of a circle in passing fromone of said positions to the other.

5. In afinger print machine, the combination with means for supplyingpigment, of

means for holding the sheet to receive the impression and means forheating the sheet to fix the pigment, said means for holding the sheetpermitting its movement successively to "the positions of pigment supplyand pigiment heating, the said sheet moving in the -arc of a circle.

6. In a finger print machine, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofsheet-holding means extending therefrom and adapted to turn in the arcof a circle as said shaft is turned, a pigment supplying means and aheating means successively approached by saidshe'et as the holder isturned.

7. In a finger print machine, the combination with a rotatable shaft, ofsheet-holding means extending therefrom and adapted to turn in the arcof a circle as said shaft is turned, a pigment supplying means and aheating means successively approached by said sheet as the holder isturned, the feed of the pigment being controlled by the movetion with arotatable shaft, of sheet-holding means extending therefrom and adaptedto turn in the arc of a circle as said shaft is turned, a pigmentsupplying means and a heating means successively approached by saidsheet as the holder is turned, the pigment supplying means and saidheater being controlled by the sheet holding means.

10. In a finger print machine, the combination with a sheet carrier, ofmeans for supplying pigment and a heater for fixing the pigment, saidheater being controlled by the movement of the sheet carrier.

11. In a finger print machine, the combination with a sheet carrier, ofmeans for supplyingpigment and an electric heater for fixing thepigment, the circuit of said heater being controlled by the movement ofthe sheet carrler.

12. In a finger print machine, the combination with means for supplyingpigment to a finger impressed sheet, of means for supplying a current ofair across said sheet to re move superfluous pigment.

13. The combination with a finger print machine, of means for supplyingpigment to an impressed sheet, of a sheet carrier adapted to move thesheet from pigment supplying position to a position where an air currentis supplied, said pigment supplying means and said means for supplyingthe air current being controlled by the sheet carrier.

14%. In a finger print machine, the combination with a rotatable shaft,of a sheet carrier mounted thereon, a pigment supplying means, a heaterfor fixing the pigment and means for supplying a current of air toremove superfluous pigment from the sheet, the said carrier as saidshaft is turned causing the sheet to successively occupy a position inwhich the finger is impressed upon it, a position in which pigment issupplied to the im pression, a position in which the pigmentedimpression is subjected to heat to fix the pig ment, said sheet movingthrough the arc of a circle in passing between the positions mentioned,said air-current-supplying means, said pigment-supplying means and saidheater being controlled by the sheet carrier.

15. In a finger print machine, the combination with a casing, of a sheetholder, a pig ment supplying means and means mounted on said casing fortreating the finger before making the impression.

16. In a finger print machine, the combination with a casing, of a sheetholder, a pigment supplying means and means mounted on said casing fortreating the finger before making the impression, said finger treatingmeans comprising a roll of prepared pap 17. The method of recording afinger print which consists in causing the finger to be impressed uponthe sheet, applying pigment to the impression, increasing the angle ofthe sheet to the horizontal to facilitate the sliding off of the surpluspigment particles and fixing the pigment to the sheet.

18. The method of recording a finger print which consists in causing thefinger to be impressed upon the sheet, applying pigment to theimpression, increasing the angle of the sheet to the horizontal tofacilitate the sliding off of the surplus pigment particles and heatingthe pigment to fix it to the sheet.

19. The method of recording a finger print which consists in causing thefinger to be impressed upon the sheet, applying pigment to theimpression, increasing the angle of the sheet to the horizontal tofacilitate the sliding off of the surplus pigment particles, shaking orvibrating the sheet during the turning movement and fixing the pigmentto the sheet.

20. The method of recording a finger print upon a sheet which consistsin causing the finger to be impressed upon the sheet, moving the sheetinto a different position, applying pigment to it in that position,moving the sheet into a third position, and heating the pigment in thethird position, the sheet mov mg in the arc of a circle bet-ween thesaid positions.

21. In a machine for recording finger prints, the combination with meansadapted to support a surface in position to be impressed by a finger, ofmeans adapted to apply pigment to the impression made by the finger andmeans adapted to fix the pigment to the lines of the finger impression.

22. In a machine for recording finger impressions, the combination withmeans for supporting a surface upon which the print is to be made, ofmeans for applying pigment to the said surface at a place where thefinger has been pressed, means for moving the impressed surface from thefinger impressing position to the pigment supplying position, means forprotecting the impressed surface in its movement from the impressingposition to pigment applying position and means for fixing the pigmentto the surface.

23. In a machine for recording finger impressions, the combination withmeans for supporting a surface upon which the print is to be made, ofmeans for applying pigment to the surface at a place where the fingerhas been pressed, means for moving the impressed surface from the fingerimpressing position to the pigment applying position, means forprotecting the impressed surface in its movement from the impressingposition to the pigment applying position and means for fixmg thepigment to the surface by heat.

24. In a finger printing machine, the combination with means adapted tosupport a surface in position to have a finger impressed upon it, ofmeans adapted to apply pigment to the finger print, means adapted to fixsaid pigment to the lines of the finger upon said surface, means forconveying the impressed surface from the impression point to the pigmentapplying point and from the pigment applying point to the fixing point,and means for protecting the impressed surface between the pigmentapplying and fixing points.

25. In a finger printing machine, the combination with means adapted tosupport a surface in position to have a finger impressed upon it, ofmeans adapted to apply pigment to the finger print, means adapted to fixsaid pigment to the lines of the finger upon said surface, means forconveying the impressed surface from the impression point to the pigmentsupplying point and from the pigment supplying point to the fixingpoint, and

means for protecting the impressed surface between the pigment applyingand fixing points and between the impression and pigment supplyingpoints.

26. In a machine for recording finger impressions, the combination withmeans adapted to support a surface in position to receive a fingerimpression, of means adapted to apply pigment to the finger impression,means for heating the pigment to fix it to the finger lines on saidsurface, means for conveying the impressed surface from the point ofimpression to the point of pigment application and thence to the pointof pigment fixation, and means for protecting the impressed surface fromthe point of impression to the point of fixation and means between thepoint of pigment application and the point of fixation for removingsurplus pigment.

27. In a finger print machine, the combination with means adapted tosupport the surface in position to be impressed by a finger, of ashielding means, means for applying pigment to the impressed surface andmeans for fixing said pigment, the last two mentioned means being withinsaid shielding means.

28. In a finger print machine, the combination with a casing, of asupport for the surface tobe printed within said casing, means forapplying pigment and means for fixing said pigment to the impressedsurface within said casing.

29. In a finger print machine, the combination with a supporting meansfor a surface on which the print is to be made, of means for applyingpigment to said surface at the place where the finger has been pressedand electric means for heating the pigment while on the surface to fixit thereon.

30. In a machine for recording finger impressions, the combination withpigment applying means, of means adapted to hold a surface in positionto receive an impression of a finger, means for fixing the pigment inthe impression, and means adapted to deliver the finger impressionsunchanged into position for receiving pigment from said pi gmentapplying means and for conveying the pigment-treated finger-impressedsurface to the point of fixation including a movable means adapted tocarry the impressed surface from the point of finger impression to thepoint of pigment application and thence to the fixation position, andmeans for removing the surplus pigment from the said surface.

31. In a machine for recording finger impressions, the combination withmeans adapted to support a surface in position to receive the impressionof a finger, of means for applying pigment to the impressed surface,means for removing the surplus pigment, means for fixing the saidpigment to the said surface on the lines of the finger impression and aconveyor movable through the points of impression, pigment applicationand pigment fixation to carry the impressed surface through said pointssuccessively.

32. In a machine for recording finger prints, the combination With meansadapted to support a surface in position to be impressed by a finger, ofmeans adapted to apply pigment to the impression made by the finger andmeans adapted to fix the pigment to the lines of the finger impression,the surface being held in an inclined position to facilitate removal ofthe surplus pigment.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 29th day ofSeptember, 1920.

CHARLES F. GLASS.

